Another two day window of opportunity between work shifts and, unlike the previous attempt, the weather was forecast to be utterly beautiful over Ben Lawers on both days. I couldn't afford to ignore another attempt for Mountain Ringlet. This had to be the time I skore, I mean it simply had to be - didn't it? Read on.....just read on.....

This time I did things sensibly. I finished work and hit the motorways after rush hour was done and dusted. I made it into Lancashire before finding a quiet spot and kipping in the back of the van once more. The back of that van feels like a proper...

Just a quick overnighter, we didn't arrive until after 8pm. Had a quick chat with John Martin (he's only the top plant and bird lister on this site!) before retiring early with the missus. The next morning we ambled around The Bill area finding quite a few Pale Flax (lifer!) and a handful of Lulworth Skippers near The Pulpit pub. A patch of Bastard Toadflax was flowering but no sign of the associated shieldbug, although I've seen it here before.

We bumped into John again just as we were leaving who was keen to put me onto Dorset's sole surviving original plant of Wild Asparagus. I...

Finished work, waited for rush hour to finish, then hit the motorways. My initial idea was to blitz through Holme Dunes for some Natterjack action under the cover of darkness. I duly arrived at 11pm and went out for a wander. No toad noise, just a few Oyks, high up Dunlin and what sounded like a begging Barn Owlet. Hmmm....I'd try again in the morning. I returned to the van, drove eastwards a few miles to a quiet spot and was soon kipping in the back. 

So first light was spent wandering around Stiffkey Saltmarsh staring at unfamiliar plants! Never really done much in the way of...